Woven fabrics



p 1967 E. GLENDINNIQNG WOVEN FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1965 P 5, 1967 E. GLENDINNING 3,339,592

WOVEN FABRI C S Filed Feb. 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 p 5', 1957 ,E. GLENDINNING WOVEN FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 18, 1965 u a z WL p 5, 1967 E. GLENDINNING 3,339,592

- WOVEN FABRICS Filed Feb. 18, 1965 4 Sheets Sheet 4 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The method of producing a fabric comprising providing at least one ground warp of non-elastic yarn, a warp of elastic yarn and a weft, effecting in the elastic yarn a tension s-uflicient substantially to stretch the yarn,

weaving the weft and warps together while continuously comparing the tension in the elastic warp yarn with the tension in the non-elastic warp yarn, controlling the ratio of the tension of the elastic warp yarn to the tension of the non-elastic warp yarn at a predetermined value to provide a fabric having an edge containing the elastic yarn, and relaxing the tension in the elastic yarn to provide folds in the rest of the fabric.

This invention relates to woven fabrics. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved form of fabric of great convenience in use as well as a method for making such a fabric.

The invention consists in a woven fabric having an elasticized edge formed by weaving a stretched elastic yarn into said fabric, whereby the elastic yarn when relaxed forms folds or plates in the rest of the fabric.

The invention also consists in a woven fabric having at least one elasticized panel formed by weaving a stretched elastic yarn into said fabric, whereby the elastic yarn when relaxed forms folds or pleats in the rest of the fabric.

Preferably the elastic yarn is such as to keep its position in the fabric when stretched or relaxed; it may consist of rubber or like threads with a layer of spirally wound cotton threads to grip the rest of the fabric.

The invention also consists in a method of making the fabric, including providing a warp or warps of nonelastic yarn, a warp of said elastic yarn, and a weft, establishing in the elastic yarn a tension sutficient substantially to stretch the yarn, weaving together the Weft, non-elastic yarn, and stretched elastic yarn to form a woven fabric, and relaxing the tension in the elastic yarn.

Preferably the tensions in the elastic and non-elastic" warps are continuously compared and the former controlled to keep the ratio of the tensions constant.

The invention also consists in apparatus for making the fabric, including a loom, an elastic warp beam for,

holding a warp of the elastic yarn, braking means for the beam, a ground warp beam for holding a warp of non-elastic yarn, means for comparing the tensions in the said warps, and means for controlling the braking of the elastic warp beam to maintain constant the ratio. of the said tensions.

The means for comparing the tensions preferably includes a pivoted member against which the said warps rest in such a way as to tend to pivot the member in opposite directions, the member having a normal position i which corresponds to a desired ratio of the tensions and struction of the fabric of 35 'bodying the principles of FIGURES 1 shown in FIGURE 5.

3,339,592 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 its own warp or warps and the elastic warp has a separate beam for each border or section. The weft of the basic cloth is used for the elastic warp.

To control the tension and delivery of the elastic yarn, a precision spring-loaded swivel bar may be arranged in a suitable position so that some or all of the elastic warp threads pass through one side and a suitable number of ground warp threads pass through the other side.

Adjustable spring loading for the swivel-bar is provided. Electric contacts are arranged to causea solenoid to operate a brake device on the elastic warp beam and thereby release or tighten the tension on the beam. Thus the rate of delivery of the elastic warp is controlled within very fine limits by the ground warp. For example, when the tension is on the elastic warp side of the swivelbar, the swivel-bar pivots and the elastic contacts operate the brake solenoid and enable the elastic warp ings, in which: 30

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of a loom;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fab ric embodying the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view illustrating the con- FIGURE 2; FIGURE 4 is a schematic view of warp tension control means in the loom of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4a is a side elevational view of the warp beam illustrated in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4b is an end view of the warp beam viewed from the left in FIGURE 4a;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of part of a loom emand 4; and FIGURES 6 to 8 are perspective views of details The construction of the illustrated loo-m is quite conventional and will not be described in detail. It will suflice to indicate in FIGURE 1 ground warp beam'l and back roller 2, healds 3, lay '4 and reed 5, breast beam 6, 'gratter 50 "roller 7 and cloth roller 8. Beam 1 carries Warp threads 9 of any suitable sort which are woven in a conventional manner with a weft (not shown) to forma cloth 10 which is wound up on roller 8.

In addition to these normal elements, there is a small beam 11 carrying elastic warp threads 12 which pass over a back roller 13 into the healds and'are woven conventionally into the cloth 10 so as to lie along an edge of the cloth as indicated at 14 in FIGURE 2. The same weft serves for the warps 9 and 12. The elastic warp 12 is kept always under tension during Weaving so that the yarn is stretched to a substantial extent. The warp 9 is not elastic and consequently is not 1 stretched to any significant extent. The result is that when T the tension in the woven cloth is released the elastic warp 12 relaxes and contracts, drawing with it the warp 9 and weft. The result is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. The

the elasticized edge FIGURE 4. A swivel bar could consist of elastic warp only.

It will be seen that the cloth just described has an integral woven elasticized edge combined with fullness in the rest of the cloth "leading to folding when the edge is relaxed. This enables garments to be made very easily and quickly. For example, a skirt can be made simply by cutting a length of the cloth, joining the cut edges so that 14 forms the waistband, and adjusting the hem to a suitable height. The making of trousers, blouses, and other garments is similarly facilitated.

The properties of the finished cloth 10 depend on the tension of the elastic warp 12 and in particular on the ratio of this and the tension of ground warp 9. This ratio is controlled by the devices illustrated schematically in 20 is mounted on a pivot 21 at or near its mid point. The ends of bar 20 are formed as loops 22, 23, through which pass part or all of the warp 12 and a sample of the warp 9. The warp threads press on the bar so that the tensions in the two warps tend to pivot the bar in opposite directions about pivot 21. Left to itself, the bar would take up a position depending on the ratio of the tensions. A restoring force is therefore applied to the bar by one or more adjustable springs 24, with this force being adjusted so that when the tension ratio has a desired value the bar adopts a predetermined position which will be called the normal position. I

Associated with the warp beam 11 is a warp tension control arrangement including a leather brake belt 25 passing over a pulley 26 on the beam 11 and fastened at one end 27 to a fixed point and at the other end to the armature of a solenoid 28. The power supply to the solenoid coil is controlled by switching rneans including one or more fixed contacts 29 and oneor more contacts 30 on the bar 20. The electrical connections are so arranged that if the tension in warp 12 falls in relation to that in warp 9, the bar pivots and actuates contacts 29, 30 so as to cause solenoid 28 to increase the tension in belt 25, thereby braking the warp beam 11 and increasing the tension in the elastic warp 12 until the bar 20 returns to its normal position.

The beam 11 also carries a second brake pulley 31 over which passes a belt 32 secured at one end to a fixed point 33 and at the other to a spring 34 by means of which a constant braking effort is applied to beam 11 to tension the elastic warp. The tension in belt 32 may be adjustable, e.g. at the fixed point 33.

The arrangement described permits the delivery and tension of the elastic warp to be controlled within fine limits with reference to the ground warp. The desired ratio of the warp tensions is set before weaving begins, by adjustment of springs 24 and 34.

FIGURES to 8 illustrate a practical embodiment of the invention. FIGURE S'shows part of a loom having a frame 40 with transverse beams 41, 42, the weaving mechanism being indicated at 43. Projecting down from beam 42 is a rod 44 on which a swivel bar 2011 is pivoted at 21a. One end of the bar has a loop 231: traversed by part of ground warp 9 and connected by a tension spring 24a to a nut 45 threaded on a threaded rod 46 journalled in beam 42 and provided with a hand wheel 47. The other end of the bar has a loop 22a traversed by elastic warp 12 and carries an electrical contact 30a which faces a fixed contact 29a mounted by a bracket 48 on beam 42. The contacts are normally separated and are closed by pivoting of the bar responsive to a decrease in the elastic warp tension relatlve to the ground warp tension.

Mounted on beam 41 are two brackets 49 between which are supported an elastic warp beam or bobbin 11a and guides 50 for the warp 12. One bracket 49 carries an arm 51 between whose ends are fastened belt 32a and spring 3411 which brake a pulley 31a on beam 11a. The other bracket 49 carries an arm 52 supporting an anchorage 27a, a solenoid 28a having an actuating rod 53 passing through a guide 54, and an idler pulley 55. A brake belt 25a is fastened between anchorage 27a and end 56 of rod 53 and passes over pulley 55 and brake pulley 26a on beam 11a, so that energization of the solenoid tightens belt 25a on pulley 26a. Power is supplied to the solenoid through suitable leads 57 by way of contacts 29a, 30a.

Normally the warp tensions balance swivel bar 20a so that the solenoid is de-enerized, with the value and ratio of the tensions depending on springs 24a, 34a and on the tension applied to ground warp 9 in the loom. If the ground warp tension rises or the elastic warp tension falls, bar 20a pivots (anti-clockwise in FIGURES 5 and 6), closes contacts 29a, 30a, and energizes solenoid 28a, thereby applying a pull via rod 54 to belt 25a and braking the elastic warp beam 11a so as to increase the elastic warp tension until the bar is pivoted back to its normal position and the contacts are opened. A fall in ground warp tension or a rise in elastic warp tension has no controlling efiect but this arrangement has nevertheless been found to give good results in practice.

The loom illustrated in FIGURE 5 has successfully woven cloth with an elasticized edge strip, using the following setting: a ground warp and weft of 'l/ 10 metric woolen yarn were woven at 30 threads and 28 picks per inch in the loom respectively, with an edge strip of 50 threads of l/ 10 metric elastomeric yarn, the ground warp tension being /2 oz. per thread and the elastic warp tension being 2 oz. per thread, the weave being a 2/ 2 twill.

The invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity to the showings in the drawings but changes or modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making a fabric including the steps of providing at least one ground warp of non-elastic yarn, a warp of elastic yarn, and a weft, effecting in the elastic yarn a tension sufficient substantially to stretch the yarn, weaving together the weft and warps while continuously comparing the tension in the elastic warp yarn with the tension in the non-elastic Warp yarn, controlling the ratio of the tension of the elastic warp yarn to the tension of the non-elastic warp yarn at a predetermined value to form a fabric having an edge containing said elastic yarn, and relaxing the tension in said elastic yarn to form folds in the rest of the fabric.

2. A method of making a fabric including the steps of providing at least one ground warp of non-elastic yarn, a warp of elastic yarn, and a weft, effecting in the elastic yarn a tension sufficient substantially to stretch the yarn, weaving together the weft and warps while continuously comparing the tension in the elastic warp yarn with the tension in the non-elastic warp yarn, controlling the ratio of the tension of the elastic warp yarn to the tension of the non-elastic warp yarn at a predetermined value to form a fabric having at least one panel containing said elastic yarn, and relaxing the tension in said elastic yarn to form folds in the rest of the fabric.

3. A method of making a fabric including the steps of providing at least one ground warp of non-elastic yarn, a warp of elastic yarn, and a weft, effecting in the elastic yarn a tension sufficient substantially to stretch the yarn, weaving together the weft yarn and warp yarns while continuously comparing the tension in the elastic warp yarn with the tension in the non-elastic warp yarn by resting the respective warp yarns against a pivoted means so as to tend to pivot such means in opposite directions with such means having a normal position corresponding to a desired ratio of the tensions, controlling the ratio of the tension of the elastic Warp yarn to the tension of the nonelastic Warp yarn at a predetermined value to form a fabric having an edge containing said elastic yarn with such means serving to cause the tension of the elastic Warp yarn to be adjusted responsive to departures from the normal position thereby restoring such means to the normal position, and relaxing the tension in the elastic warp yarn to form folds in the rest of the fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 24,691 7/1859 Baare et al 139-421 6 1,669,868 5/1928 Fagan 139-421 1,922,943 8/1933 Gobeille "139-421 2,748,447 6/1956 Moore 28-76 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,189,043 3/1959 France.

9,186 1841 Great Britain.

10 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A FABRIC INCLUDING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE GROUND WARP OF NON-ELASTIC YARN, A WARP OF ELASTIC YARN, AND A WEFT, EFFECTING IN THE ELASTIC YARN A TENSION SUFFICIENT SUBSTANTIALLY TO STRETCH THE YARN, WEAVING TOGETHER THE WEFT AND WARPS WHILE CONTINUOUSLY COMPARING THE TENSION IN THE ELASTIC WARP YARN WITH THE TENSION IN THE NON-ELASTIC WARP YARN, CONTROLLING THE RATIO OF THE TENSION OF THE ELASTIC WARP YARN TO THE TENSION OF THE NON-ELASTIC WARP YARN AT A PREDETERMINED VALUE TO FORM A FABRIC HAVING AN EDGE CONTAINING SAID ELASTIC YARN, AND RELAXING THE TENSION IN SAID ELASTIC YARN TO FORM FOLDS IN THE REST OF THE FABRIC. 